Categorized content sharing, identical content maintanance and user protection in a peer-to-peer network

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for sharing content between devices over a peer-to-peer (P2P) network without servers. The content is distributed to all the devices connected to the network. The distributed content may be identical and/or categorized. The content may be marked with a trust rating, and a user is enabled to both report and delete inappropriate/defective content and also report trusted content. A user may also be protected from using inappropriate/defective/non-trusted content and may prevent re-sharing of such content by other users.

1 . A method for content sharing in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, comprising the steps of: by a device:
 a) connecting to the P2P network; and   b) distributing identical content to all other devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content includes categorized content. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content includes trusted and non-trusted content, the method further comprising the step of:
 c) protecting a user using the device from activating the non-trusted content.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content includes particular inappropriate or defective content, the method further comprising the steps of:
 c) enabling users using respective devices to report the particular inappropriate or defective content; and   d) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the categorized content includes categorized trusted and non-trusted content, the method further comprising the step of:
 c) protecting a user using the device from activating the non-trusted content.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the categorized content includes particular inappropriate or defective content, the method further comprising the steps of:
 c) enabling users using respective devices to report the particular inappropriate or defective content; and   d) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the non-trusted content includes particular inappropriate or defective content, the method further comprising the steps of:
 d) enabling users using respective devices to report the particular inappropriate or defective content; and   e) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content includes trusted and non-trusted content, the method further comprising the steps of:
 c) protecting a user using the device from activating the non-trusted content;   d) enabling users using respective devices to report particular inappropriate or defective content; and   e) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         9 . A method for content sharing in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, comprising the steps of: by a device:
 a) connecting to the P2P network; and   b) distributing categorized content to all other devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the categorized content includes trusted and non-trusted categorized content, the method further comprising the step of:
 c) protecting a user using the device from activating the non-trusted categorized content.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the categorized content includes particular inappropriate or defective content, the method further comprising the steps of:
 c) enabling users using respective devices to report the particular inappropriate or defective content; and   d) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the categorized content includes trusted and non-trusted categorized content, the method further comprising the step of:
 e) protecting a user using the device from activating the non-trusted categorized content.   
     
     
         13 . A method for content sharing in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, comprising the steps of: by a device:
 a) connecting to the P2P network;   b) distributing content which includes trusted and non-trusted content to all other devices connected to the P2P network; and   c) protecting a user using the device from activating the non-trusted content.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the non-trusted content includes particular inappropriate or defective categorized content, the method further comprising the steps of:
 f) enabling users using respective devices to report particular inappropriate or defective categorized content; and   g) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective categorized content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         15 . A method for content sharing in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, comprising the steps of: by a device:
 a) connecting to the P2P network;   b) enabling users using respective devices to report the particular inappropriate or defective content; and   c) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         16 . A computer readable medium carrying program instructions for performing a method for content sharing in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, the method comprising the steps of: by a device:
 a) connecting to the P2P network; and   b) distributing identical content to all other devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the content includes categorized content. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium  claim 16 , wherein the content includes trusted and non-trusted content, the method further comprising the step of:
 c) protecting a user using the device from activating the non-trusted content.   
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the content includes particular inappropriate or defective content, the method further comprising the steps of:
 c) enabling users using respective devices to report the particular inappropriate or defective content; and   d) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the categorized content includes categorized trusted and non-trusted content, the method further comprising the step of:
 c) protecting a user using the device from activating the non-trusted content.   
     
     
         21 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the categorized content includes particular inappropriate or defective content, the method further comprising the steps of:
 c) enabling users using respective devices to report the particular inappropriate or defective content; and   d) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         22 . The computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the non-trusted content includes particular inappropriate or defective content, the method further comprising the steps of:
 d) enabling users using respective devices to report the particular inappropriate or defective content; and   e) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         23 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the content includes trusted and non-trusted content, the method further comprising the steps of:
 c) protecting a user using the device from activating the non-trusted content;   d) enabling users using respective devices to report particular inappropriate or defective content; and   e) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         24 . A computer readable medium carrying program instructions for performing a method for content sharing in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, comprising the steps of: by a device:
 a) connecting to the P2P network; and   b) distributing categorized content to all other devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         25 . The computer readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the categorized content includes trusted and non-trusted categorized content, the method further comprising the step of:
 c) protecting a user using the device from activating the non-trusted categorized content.   
     
     
         26 . The computer readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the categorized content includes particular inappropriate or defective content, the method further comprising the steps of:
 c) enabling users using respective devices to report the particular inappropriate or defective content; and   d) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         27 . The computer readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the categorized content includes trusted and non-trusted categorized content, the method further comprising the step of:
 e) protecting a user using the device from activating the non-trusted categorized content.   
     
     
         28 . A computer readable medium carrying program instructions for performing a method for content sharing in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, comprising the steps of: by a device:
 a) connecting to the P2P network;   b) distributing content which includes trusted and non-trusted content to all other devices connected to the P2P network; and   c) protecting a user using the device from activating the non-trusted content.   
     
     
         29 . The computer readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein the non-trusted content includes particular inappropriate or defective categorized content, the method further comprising the steps of:
 d) enabling users using respective devices to report particular inappropriate or defective categorized content; and   e) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective categorized content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.   
     
     
         30 . A computer readable medium carrying program instructions for performing a method for content sharing in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, comprising the steps of: by a device:
 a) connecting to the P2P network;   b) enabling users using respective devices to report the particular inappropriate or defective content; and   c) enabling the deletion of the particular inappropriate or defective content from all the devices connected to the P2P network.